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Combat Related Professions

Because most MMO players want to kill and blow things up first and foremost, let's talk about the starting combat professions right now. These are professions, not types of combatants.

Soldier
The four main factions of New Eden all have military forces that can always use one more pod-pilot. These mission are dangerous and the opposition won't like what you're doing, but the pay is good.
Level: Intermediate
Related to: PvP, Factional warfare
Key skills: all combat related, PvP specialization, some mission elements

Pirate
Some people are content following the rules of society. Others would rather not do the hard work. Pirate prey on the weak and unprepared. They earn their money through theft and slaughter, but the risk of being caught is great.
Specialization: Combat
Level: Beginner
Related to: PvP
Key skills: all combat related
Related professions: Anti-Pirate, Bounty Hunter, Mercenary, Mission Runner, Miner,
Every society has its criminal Element. Pirates represent that facet of society. Ruthlessly exploiting combat prowess to extort, ransom, or simply annihilate other capsuleers for profit or pleasure.
Pirates use varying tactics depending on the location, situation, and their skills. Above all, a pirate must be fearless, and willing to make sacrifices in the name of carnage and destruction.

Runner
People need things done (including NPC's), and runners are the ones to get them taken care of. The pay is better the more you're liked.
Specialization: Combat
Level: Beginner
Related to: Agents, Missions, PvE
Key skills: all combat related and Social
The many NPC Factional Corporations in EVE all have their own interests in space. When their own forces are occupied elsewhere, or when a job needs doing that requires a discrete outsider, they use their Agents to hire help from the Capsule community, and authorize large payments for results.
Agents missions form the majority of the PvE combat content in EVE, and are a good way to get stuck into to some on-demand starship combat. Agents also offer courier missions, and some conduct research, with the eventual aim of giving out valuable blueprints for production.

'Ratter
There are just as many 'rats (NPC's) in High security (1.0-0.5) space as there are civil folk. A 'Ratter takes care of the 'rats occupying high sec space, places where the factions and CONCORD can't find. There are some nice finds in some of these "complexes" and the 'Ratters profit from them.
Specialization: Combat
Level: Intermediate
Related to: PvE
Key skills: all combat related
Similar to runners, ratters do PvE combat, but unlike runners payout comes in the form of high-end gear and equipment from enemies. The payoff comes from effectively free upgrades and money from the sales of the found equipment.

Anti-Pirate
Low security (0.4-0.1) space is a hive for pirate (PC's) scum and the Anti-Pirate wouldn't have it any other way. Profiting from the pirate's spoils and bounty's may not be the method for these people's ideology but it certainly helps.
Specialization: Combat
Level: Beginner possible but intermediate to advanced highly recommended.
Related to: Pirates. PvP
Key skills: all combat related, PvP specialization
Related professions: Bounty Hunter, Pirate
Some Anti-Pirates consider themselves driven by ideology, not bounties. In any case, for all practical intents and purposes, see Bounty Hunter profession. For the rest, read on :)
The Anti-Pirate Profession bears enormous risks. Why is doing the right thing always so damn difficult. Why is it that so few of us find the courage to fight for the unpunished injustices of our universe? Should I fail at my task, the tragedy will not be in my own death, but in the fact that my prey will continue to live out their wretched, despicable existence.
“It is said that cowardice lurks behind power; that every tyrant fears the day when others learn where the source of real power lies. What better way for a tyrant to hide that truth than by claiming absolute authority and threatening absolute ruin to those who question them!"
The art of war is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected.
"I have high hopes of smashing my name into history so violently that it will take a legendary form, even if all the books are destroyed. That goal, is the real goal as far as I am concerned." …Geminisceptre
Known to many in the Galaxy as the self proclaimed vigilante police force of the Eve Universe, the Anti-Pirate roams the stars seeking to crush his prey, Pirates, as they have so mercilessly crushed theirs so many times before. For many who enlist in the Anti-Pie ( as called by many ) profession they are called to it like a moth to the flame, for just as the old days of our ancient past, Their must be Cowboys to battle the Indians. The anti-pirate profession is perhaps one of the hardest of the Eve Universe, there are no medals, there is no recognition, there is nothing but death. Unlike Bounty Hunters, Anti-Pies seek not the money on the heads of their prey, they seek only the knowledge that deaths of all Pirates are as painful and slow as that of their unwary victims before them.

Bounty Hunter
Hunting down the bounties is the bread and butter for these people. Their sole purpose in life is to collect the bounties of criminals.
Specialization: Combat
Level: Beginner possible but intermediate to advanced highly recommended.
Related to: Pirates. PvP
Key skills: all combat related, PvP specialization
Related professions: Anti-Pirate, Pirate
Bounty hunters hunt down and kill other players that have bounties on their heads. For an ideaological version of this profession, see Anti-Pirate.
A locator agent that can help locate the targets is useful; bounty office on stations is another useful tool.
Nonetheless most bounty hunters agree that its hard to make any living out of bounties, and instead of seeking specific individuals they roam the same low-sec systems as their pray.
This profession requires very good PvP combat skills as the people being hunted are mostly pirates that have good knowledge of PvP and how to evade people who are after the bounties on them. That said, some bounty corps recruit newbies and train them on 'no implants/cheap frig/no named modules' policy. Expect to die. Often. Although that holds true even for experienced PvPers, too :)

Corp Fighter
Out in No Security space (0.0) law is what you make it. Corporations flock here to get a piece of space, to grow, and to become a powerful force skirting the factions. Large Alliances battle relentlessly to gain more ground and gain prominent control of the rim of New Eden.
Specialization: Combat
Level: Intermediate
Related to: Corporations, Alliances, PvP
Key skills: all combat related
Related professions: all combat related
People in a corporation who are soldiers dedicated to that specific corporation and it's alliance.

Mercenary
Soldier of Fortune. Mercenary's work for the highest bidder. Don't be fooled, even though these group will do anything for the right price, failure to pay can become a death sentence.
Specialization: Combat
Level: Intermediate
Related to: Corporations, Alliances, PvP
Key skills: all combat related
Related professions: all combat related
People who are hired to kill. Normally by a corporation or an Alliance which is a major player in Alliance politics.

Non-Combat Related Professions

Non-combat professions are either used to supplement income for combat pilots or individuals solely work on this equipment for large monetary gains. In this post we will discuss starting non-combat professions.

Miner
Ever seen the rings of an asteroid and seen ISK slowly umbering through space? Or seen the wonders of profit rising while reprocessing ore? Then you may be the next New Eden Miner. Miners toil endlessly looking for rare ores to process valuable raw materials. Materials that are the backbones to construction to Eve ships, weapons, modules and fuel. Miners get huge rewards from mining various sectors of space.
Specialization: Non-combat
Level: Beginner
Related to: Mining
Key skills: Mining
Related professions: Manufacturer, Hauler
Even the starter frigate is a metal object about the size of the Eiffel Tower, and thousands of these ships get destroyed every single day. All these metals come from somewhere, and the miner is responsible for the majority of all raw minerals sold onto the market.
Mining ranges from solo frigate mining in 1.0 asteroid belts, through organized gang strip mining of whole belts, with dedicated mining cruisers, haulage and security cover, right up to deep 0.0 Alliance-run expeditions for rare minerals, along with associated blockade running to bring them to market.

Courier
Everyone needs something, and items don't move themselves in magical bank teleportation networks (like some MMO's). This means someone has to do it, and someone is willing to pay someone else to do it for them. In ancient earth, these bastions of the roads, move goods all over the planet. Now with spaceships, this necessary service moved to the stars as well.
Level: Beginner
Related to: Courier missions, Mining, Trade
Key skills: Spaceship Command, Navigation
Related professions: Miner, Trader
Transport trade goods or other items of interest (modules, minerals, etc.) from one section of the galaxy to another in search of profit.
A bulk courier is known as a hauler. Though a character can specialize in piloting Industrial Ships, you will likely want basic hauling skills at some point in your career. For more information, see the basic section of the Hauling Guide.
Note that some couriers specialize in transporting small expensive items; those will often employ frigates or interceptors instead of industrials.

Trader
The time honored tradition of middleman economics is alive and well. Unlike transporters, traders buy items in locations where they're made and move them to where they're more needed, then selling them at a huge profit margin. Traders use guile to get the best deals and the most discounts and trading them to those who can't get to them for big payoffs.
Specialization: Non-combat
Level: Beginner, but intermediary highly recommended.
Related to: Trading, Economy of EVE
Key skills: Trade
Related professions: Investor, Courier
The EVE regional markets are an incredibly complex affair, and an excellent source of income for those who can work them well. Thousands of worlds, all with supplies and demands, and all relying on the Capsule pilot to join the dots…for a price of course…
Trading takes three main markets in EVE; the NPC Trade Goods Market, where margins are smaller, but more dependable, the Player Equipment Market where competition is firece, but ignorance can be capitalized on, and the Contract (former Escrow) Market, where pretty much anything can and will go. At it's simplest, trading is just buying something cheaply at one station, and taking to a place where they're paying more, but soon develops into a complex game of longterm planning, three month buy orders and logistical organization.
Scavenger - Many people see wreaked ships as space debris, useless. Scavengers see easy profits. Slightly damaged parts and bits can be refurbished and installed to modify existing ships. These items are in high demand and many combat pilots use this to get a little extra out of their 'ratting and missions.

Manufacturer
The architect of New Eden. These are the individuals that every pod pilot must pay homage to as these are the laborers that build what pod-pilots fly.
Specialization: Non-combat
Level: Intermediate to advanced
Related to: Manufacturing, Science And Industry
Key skills: Industry, Science
Related professions: Scientist, Investor
With the galaxy such a turbulent place, and more and more new pilots entering the Capsuleer community, the demand for space-based manufactured items is ever increasing, from a single scout drone, up to the largest Titans and Outposts, manufacturing is everywhere.
Day to day manufacturing of smaller objects, ammunition, ship modules and smaller ships, largely takes place in starbase factory slots, on short-term lease arrangements. Capital and permanent structures on the other hand tend to be constructed in space, using the facilities provided by POS Towers. Manufacturers work with both these methods, and are often also responsible for the underlying supply chain of raw materials too, and the distribution of finished product.
Many combat pilots with no primary interest in large-scale manufacturing still learn the basics of the process, to allow a degree of self-sufficiency in small-scale ammunition resupply from reprocessed loot, or to channel reprocessed junk-loot into one-run BPC 'hobby project' Battleships for resale.

Scientist
Specialization: Non-combat
Level: Intermediate.
Related to: Research Agents, Science and Industry
Key skills: Science
Related professions: Manufacturer
The technologies involved in designing, building and operating starships are bewildering to say the least. But even the most complex and advanced capital ship began life as a sketch on someone's drawing board, and such designs are rarely perfect on their first version.
There are two types of scientists. Some work with inventions, creating new blueprints; others refine existing Blueprints to increase the time and mineral efficiency of the existing design. They also make blueprint copies, allowing others to manufacture limited runs of the original product.

Salvager
Salvaging is the extraction of salvage materials from ship wrecks which are then used in the construction of valuable ship rigs.
Specialization: Non-combat
Level: Beginner
Related to: Mining
Key skills: Salvaging, Jury Rigging
Related professions: Manufacturer, Hauler
Revelations introduced what would be considered two sub professions. Though not actually requiring the mining skill as a pre-requisite, their usage and methodology clearly define them as a branch of the mining profession. This profession tends to work out best with combat professions as it requires wreaked ships to process.